Yeshu ha Notzri, Destroyer of Worlds

Yeshu ha Notzri, Destroyer of Worlds

“The truth is that he was born in the year AM 3678, and in the year 299 after the Temple was built he was arrested, and he was 36 years old in the third year of Aristobolus son of Jannaeus. That is why the Sages of Israel wrote in a dispute with the Christians, that there is no reference in the Talmud to the Nazarene to whom they refer. We know about him from Sabbath, Sotah, Sanhedrin, and from his disciples.”- Sefer Yohassin

“However, Simeon ben Shetach was a very pious man. Once there were two false witnesses against his son and he was sentenced to death. The witnesses retracted and admitted it was out of hatred for the father that they bore false witness, because he killed the witches. Nevertheless, his pious son told him to carry out the sentence rather than overturn a Torah ruling for him (see Sanhedrin in the JT). Rashi explains in the chapter Nigmar Hadin, that he and he alone did not pervert the justice for the king. Gabriel the archangel came for his sake and hit the members of the Sanhedrin on the ground (see chapter Kohen Gadol). .. He hanged eighty women witches on one day in his great wisdom.”[1]

“The Sanhedrin must know witchcraft in order to decide for what witchery the witch must be killed. Rashi explains in the chapter Haomed: if the accused is a sorcerer, and he will make the light, such that he does not have control over it, they Sanhedrin will do witchcraft and kill him.”[2]

Jesus ben (Perichiah) was a “Netzerim” or priest/king. He was the son of Perichiah, grandson to Simon Shetah.

The Hasmonean Alexander Jannaeus was on the throne of Israel. The accusation of Sanhedrin 43a states “He was close to the Royalty”. The list of possible oppositional-claimants must come through the family of his wife ShlomZion. This leaves the immediate family of Simon ben Shetah. He (Jesus) is the only Netzer who is recorded as being tried and executed for witchcraft in this period. It is clear he was “called the “son of Simon ben Shetah “a very pious man.”

Jesus ben (Perichiah) was accused of witchcraft. “Once there were two false witnesses against his son and he was sentenced to death.”He “Came out of Egypt” with magic. The witnesses retracted and admitted it was out of hatred for the father that they bore false witness, because he killed the witches.”

In Egypt it would be natural for him to be drawn to the Diaspora population in Heliopolis, at the Temple his relative Onias had built. As a Netzer, King/Priest, he had legitimate access to the inner most part of the Temple. As a Netzerim he may have served as High Priest as an honor for an occasion. What is clear is he “is associated “with entering the “Holy of Holies” and stealing the “Name”, doing “magic” and perverting Israel.

“The Sanhedrin must know witchcraft in order to decide for what witchery the witch must be killed.”

“They Sanhedrin will do witchcraft and kill him“

“Nevertheless, his pious son told him to carry out the sentence rather than overturn a Torah ruling for him (see Sanhedrin in the JT). Rashi explains in the chapter Nigmar Hadin, that “he and he alone” did not pervert the justice for the king.” The Hasmoneans are on the Throne through his aunt ShlomZion, rule has moved away from his direct family and they are “kings and princes of the Sanhedrin. He is still regarded as a “king”. The trial of a “king” is still therefore illegal.

If he did not “pervert justice” who did?

“Gabriel the archangel came “for his sake “and hit the members of the Sanhedrin on the ground (see chapter Kohen Gadol).”

Alexander Jannaeus slaughtered the Pharisees for calling into question “his genealogy”. The early old-guard Sadducee supported Yeshu or let his name be Joshua (Yeshua) or Jesus. Is this the reason Jannaeus supported the Sadducee? Is the reformation of Simon ben Shetah the reason Jannaeus told ShlomZion to back the Pharisee?

I wish I could take credit for this but a rereading of Sefer Yohassin will show otherwise.

Rabbi Abraham Zaccuto did know. If his writing on this is grouped as a cluster it becomes clearer, then apparent. He (Yeshua) is listed as the first of “three” who received the law in the time of zuggot or “pairs”.

This oddity stands out because in his generation it was no longer zuggot or “pairs”, who were recipients of the Oral Law. This oddity is in fact a major honor given to Joshua ben Perahiah or as he is also known Yeshu ha Notzri.

“At the end of Menachoth we find that Joshua ben Perahiah would not have wished to rise to greatness, or to descend, having ascended. Anyway, Joshua ben Perahiah lived for many years, and came to Jerusalem from Alexandria around the year 296 after the Temple was built, which is the year AM 3704. They Joshua ben Perahiah and Nittai the Arbelite and Mattathias ben Johanan are the 26th recipients of the Oral Law.”[3]

Following this lineage according to the Davidic Dynasty article by David Hughes he was the son of Perichiah and the father of Sarah/ Doris the first wife of Herod the Great[4].

Sanhedrin 43a may well be the record of the false accusation against the son/grandson of Simon ben Shetah. It is a deduction based on the timing and history of the period’s events.

“Sanhedrin 43a there is a tradition (in a Barraitha): They hanged Yeshu (a) on the Sabbath of the Passover. But for forty days before that a herald went in front of him (crying), “Yeshu (a) is to be stoned because he practiced sorcery and seduced Israel and lead them away from God. Anyone who can provide evidence on his behalf should come forward to defend him.” When, however, nothing favorable about him was found, he was hanged on the Sabbath of the Passover.Ulla (an Amorim) commented: “Do you think that he belongs among those for whom redeeming evidence is sought? Rather, he was a seducer [of whom] the All-merciful has said: ‘Show them no pity… and do not shield them.’ (Deut 13.8b NRSV) In Yeshu (a)’s case, however, an exception was made because he was close to those who held [political/religious] authority[5].”

He was “close to authority because he was born to a king and a priest, a Netzerim or Nazarene. May he no longer be remembered as Yeshu the destroyer of the Law.